During college I spent a full year studying abroad in Kyoto. Without a car and on a non-working student's budget, I did my best to explore (including a few out of town trips to Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Okinawa), but for the most part, I used...

One of the reasons I was so excited to return to Malaysia this summer was for the food. When it comes to all things edible, I'm a huge fan of big, bold flavors, and given the country's Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences...

Every time I'm home, I make it a point to have Hawaiian food some time during my visit, normally towards the end. I didn't really eat it too often before I moved away, but it's a staple at family parties...

My mom likes to tell me that I have a problem because I actually cannot leave the house and not end up making a stop somewhere to pick up a drink. Usually a tea of some sort, though I can sometimes be persuaded to branch out and do a juice (but never coffee). At home, this need to always have a drink in hand translates to a constant rotation of boba or Starbucks or whatever fancy glass bottle catches my eye at Whole Foods. And although I'm hardpressed to find any of that out here, thankfully Japan does not lack in the soft drink department.